Top 10 KitchenAid K45SS Classic Stand Mixer Questions & Answers

Check your Brushes  or bushings or whatever there called ) those little black things on the side of your mixer above the speed selector and the up/down switch) Check to see if they have started to wear down then i recommend taking it in for service. Good Luck!

This is a common issue with the Kitchenaid food grinder. The black residue is a product of the meat itself.

With Kitchenaid Food Grinder Attachments, it is recommended that the meat be partially frozen before grinding. This is to ensure a quality grind and to make sure the meat holds all its juices while grinding.

If any juices from the meat are leaked into the food grinder, the friction will cause a chemical reaction and turn the juice from the meat into a black substance.

CAREFUL, do this unplugged. Behind the back plate (one screw on top to remove) there is an adjustment single security screw, lower center. Adjust this screw out or in as needed. Hit or miss but very easy. Repeat till all speeds work as designed.

BobbyT

I had this same problem as well.  The beater was stuck like glue to the rotating arm, and it would not budge with any amount of pressure.  I tried the cooking spray and it did nothing.  But today I put a rag in hot/boiling water and then carefully wrapped it around the top of the beater.  I let it sit for 10 minutes. Then I put the rag in hot water again and repeated the process for about another 5 minutes.  When this was done, I covered the beater in a towel (to protect it) and forcefully tapped (ok... I pounded) it with the flat side of my meat tenderizer (it was all I had...you could use a mallet or hammer).  It took a little bit of work because I had to hammer it from the bottom, then the side, then the top to get the little spoke guided through the shaft.  But it did finally come off.  After cleaning with hot water, I put the beater on again and noticed that it was still a little hard to get on/off.  So, I put a little bit of veg. oil on it, and it seems to be better.  Going forward, I will be sure to clean the top of the beater & arm after each use and then coat it with a little oil to keep from sticking.  Best of luck!

Pull the back off and there will be two screws at the top of the Speed Control Plate and a 3rd screw at the bottom. Tighten the top two screws down. [email protected]. Let me know if it works.

Hi, EAGLESON: You are correct, the Planetary Drip Ring is a friction fitted piece that should stay on during normal use. It should be on tightly enough that to remove it by gently tapping the edge of the ring with a straight screwdriver at several places around the ring. If the drip ring is falling on it’s own, than you might try tapping the bottom of the drip ring upwards with a few hammer taps around the ring to see it that seats it any better (place a piece of wood between the hammer face and the ring to protect the ring).
If it still comes off, then the ring opening has been expanded to the point that it won’t ‘grip’ the mixer head where it’s attached. You can either attempt to ‘crimp’ it with a pair of pliers at a few points around the ring so that it can grip the flange better, or you may want to order a replacement drip ring, entirely. However, do not try to ‘glue’ it on.
You will want to have the Repair Parts manual on hand to identify the correct part number for your Drip Ring. If you're lacking one, you can download a PDF version from the KA website: http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/page/home.
Click on Customer Care>Locate Manuals & Guides> Enter the 6 character model number, in your case use KSM50P (Your K5SS mixer falls within this manual), and select the first file KSM50P.pdf (438.31 KB) listed under Parts List (4) and then check to verify this matches your mixer model.
Turn to pages 4 & 5, titled “Case, Gearing and Planetary Unit”, which provides and exploded view for the disassembly and reassembly of your mixer, along with all the parts. Locate Illus. Nos. 42, Planetary Drip Ring, (Part # 4162074), which is the part you want to order.
Here are five potential vendors in no particular order: RepairClinic.com; mendingshed.com; searspartsdirect.com; partstore.com; and Grainger.com. Prices can vary widely between vendors, so do your comparison shopping.
Also, while your mixer is apart it would be ideal to check for any other unseemly wear and tear on the gears, etc. It can be messy but quite gratifying to diagnose and repair your KA mixer yourself.
Finally, here are some links to several excellent websites that detail the disassembling/reassembly of a KA Mixer. The mixers displayed in the links are different KA models, but the principles are the same.

• http://www.artisanbreadbaking.com/discussions/kitchen-aid.htm
• http://www.neilcrockett.com/mixer.htm
• http://www.foodonthefood.com/food_on_the_food/2009/04/how-to-repair-a-kitchenaid-mixer-yourself.html

Hi TIMDEIST, I hate it when you drop your mixer... they’re really not designed for gravity testing. Let’s see what you can do to get it fixed and operable again. The good news is that this can be fixed quite easily (OK, maybe a little effort) by yourself, if you are a DITY type person, feel adventurous, and your mixer is not under warranty. Be sure you have the Parts List manual on hand. If you're lacking one, you can download a PDF version from the KA website at: http://www.kitchenaid.com/flash.cmd?/#/page/home.
Click on Customer Care>Locate Manuals& Guides> then enter the visitor type “Consumer” and enter the 6 character model number, in this case K45SSW, and then select the file under Parts List (1) K45SSWH0.pdf (341.41 KB) (definitely check to see it this matches your mixer).
Although not providing step by step instructions, the Parts List manual provides an exploded view of the various component assemblies allowing you to see how the mixer all fits together. It is helpful for the disassembly, troubleshooting, and reassembly of your mixer.
Turn to pages 6 & 7, titled “Motor And Control Parts”, and locate Ill. Nos. 1, 2, 3, & 4. #3 is your Switch Lever and stud. If you can’t straighten it out then you will need to replace it. It might also be a good idea to check and see if anything else might be out of alignment due to the sudden stop when it was dropped.
As far as parts go, here are five potential vendors in no particular order: RepairClinic.com; mendingshed.com; searspartsdirect.com; partstore.com; and Grainger.com (for grease). Prices can vary widely between vendors, so do some comparison shopping. Here are some links to several excellent websites that detail the disassembling/greasing and reassembly of a KA Mixer.
Finally, here are some links to several excellent websites that detail the disassembling/reassembly of a KA Mixer.

• http://www.artisanbreadbaking.com/discussions/kitchen-aid.htm
• http://www.neilcrockett.com/mixer.htm
• http://www.foodonthefood.com/food_on_the_food/2009/04/how-to-repair-a-kitchenaid-mixer-yourself.html

The trim ring news to be ta]ed in place with a plastic-face mallet. This type of mallet does not (if used properly) Mar the surface it striks.

Hold the trim ring in place while tapping it in place. It often takes patience to get it right.

The ring is properly in place when there is no place where you can insert a fingernail between it and the mixer body all around the ring.

I am sorry to say but only with a new one, about 30 bucks and five minutes of work, but if your mixer has any speeds working except only high (only high means it is the phase control board) then it is more likely the speed control board is bad rather than the phase board. Can you send is more info on what happened when the mixer started or stopped working. We can be of more help with more info

If you have a really "Brand New" mixer then Kichenaid has the best "No-Hassel" return policy bar none, call customer support and they will send you a new one. If it is a new mixer still in box never used but is a couple years old then look for the warranty card and go on line to see if you can register it. They may let it by, just remember that you must mark it as received as gift and price payed unknown. if they let it pass then again call KA and they WILL send a new one. On to the more painful part, if the mixer is out of warranty and it has to be fixed the choices are:
1: send it to your nearest KA service center either by taking it or mailing it. be prepared to spend $100.00 plus dollars to do it this way.
2: send it to a local repar tech that has experience with KA probably $65 (what i charge) or maybe less.
3: Or do it your self, Not hard to do but!!! it can frustrate some people, go to KA site and get your parts list from that site for your model. then search the web for you tube videos that show you how to replace the grease, it will show you how to open and reclose your machine, then go to the speed control switch and locate the spring that is attached to it, i beleive that you will find that the spring has come loose and it is jambed in place (very tight space allowance in there) hook it back up and close up your machine and i bet a dollar to a donut that it runs fine. BTW if you find that it is not the spring being loose you will be able to diagnose the cause of the jam as the mechanism is very simple. hope this helps.